Method of producing an embossing foil by providing a support adapted to be embossed with a mirror coating



2,017,367 SUPPORT K. KURZ Oct. 15, 1935.

METHOD OF 'PRODUCING AN EMBOSSING FOIL BY PROVIDING A ADAPTED TO BE EMBOSSED WITH A MIRROR COATING Filed March 3, 1954 JNVENTU R Patented Oct. 15, 1935 I UNITED STATES METHOD OF PRODUCING AN EIVIBOSSING FOIL BY PROVIDING A SUPPORT ADAPTED TO BE EMBOSSED WITH A MIRROR COATING Konrad Kun, Furth, Germany Application March 3, 1934, Serial No. 713,876 In Germany February 1, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a method for producing an embossing foil and consists in applying a coating of wax on a support in the shape of a sheet or band and of a material suitable for embossing, in then applying a thin, hard and smooth skin on said wax coating, in depositing chemically a metal layer on said skin and in coating said metal layer with a layer of material becoming adhesive under heat. The metal layer is taken up by the smooth skin in a perfect manner and in absolutely uniform thickness. On the other hand the smooth intermediate skin easily and reliably becomes detached from the fusible'layer vunder the hot die even on soft articles. The smoothness of the skin imparts a smooth surface to the outer side of the metal layer after the embossing. Therefore, very bright and faultless embossings are obtained independently of the age of the embossing foil and the hardness of the article to be embossed.

Many film-forming, liquid masses are suitable for producing the thin, smooth and hard skin. These include pyroxylin lacquer, resin lacquer, liquid cellulose substances, such as liquid acetyl or nitro-cellulose or cellulose esters or liquid products from the condensation of phenols and formaldehydes (artificial resins) or liquid celluloid. Other known substances which form films may also be used. The invention consists less in the selection of just this or that known skin or filni--orming substance than in the interposing or. such a skin for obtaining the above mentioned improvements in the chemically produced embossing foil.

Embossings produced with such a perfected embossing foil are not only very bright but are also very resistant against abrasion. After em-- bossing with a gold foil product and the chemically precipitated gold layer of which adheres directly on the parchment paper or Cellophane the outer surface of the gold layer lies exposed on the article to be embossed, for example on a pencil. The exposed gold layer is very soon rubbed out of the embossed depressions when the pencil is used. Experience has shown that the gold layer thus embossed has become illegible and defective before the pencil is used up.

If the embossing is produced with a foil, the silver layer of which is deposited on a yellow fusible layer in order to appear as gold when embossed, the very thin remainder of the fusible layer transferred on to the silver layer also wears off very quickly, so that the silver becomes visible and betrays the endeavour to deceive. Also the soft silver which is finally completely exposed is then, in most cases, completely rubbed out of the embossed recesses at certain places. The results with pure gold embossings are not much better.

However, on the metal layer of the embossing product with the foil according to the present invention, a smooth and hard tightly adhering skin of lacquer or the like protects the metal against abrasion. As the lacquerskin cannot be 5 rubbed off, the metal layer of the embossing remains inits original fresh and intact condition until the pencil is completely used up. Thus, durable silver embossings can also be produced because the lacquer skin prevents the oxidation of the silver in the event of the pencils being stored for a long while.

Moreover, by choosing a golden yellow transparent skin of lacquer or the like it is possible that a silver embossing looks like a gold embossing for an unlimited time. Viewed through a light yellow lacquer skin the deposited pure gold, which is reddish yellow, looks much lighter, for example like lemon yellow. Green and red lacquer skins impart a correspondingly colored radiant brilliancy to a pure gold, silver or platinum embossing.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing.

va. designates the support capable of being embossed, for example of parchment paper or Celiophane", d the fusible layer, b the chemically deposited mirror coating, f the specially smooth lacquer layer, and c the grounding or adhesive layer.

I claim:

1. A method for producing an embossing foil, consisting in applying a coating of wax on a support in the shape of a sheet or band and of a material suitable for embossing, in then applying a thin, hard and smooth skin on said wax coating, in depositing chemically a metal layer on said skin and in coating said metal layer with a layer of material becoming adhesive under heat.

2. A method as specified in claim 1, consisting in employing a lacquer for producing the hard and smooth skin.

3. A method as specified in claim 1, consisting in employing film-forming liquid products for producing the hard and smooth skin.

4. A method as specified in claim 1, consisting in employing iilm forming liquid products from condensation of phenols and formaldehydes for producing the hard and smooth skin. 50

5. A method as specified in claim 1, consisting in employing a liquid celluloid for producing the hard and smooth skin.

6. A method as specified in claim 1, consisting in employing a colored film producing substance 55 for producing the hard and smooth skin.

KONRAD KURZ. 

